Key holder



Sept. l2, 1939.- R. G. CHENEY KEY HOLDER Filed July 27, 1938 .L 76 7 1- lg Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT' oFFicE KEY HOLDER Ralph G. Cheney, Belle, W. Va.

Application `Iuly 27, 1938, Serial N o. 221,590 13 oiaims. (cido- 456) This invention relates to key holders, and has for its object to provide for conveniently assembling a plurality of keys with the body of the holder, and for housing the keys eifectually within the body against accidental displacement,

while at the same time providing for conveniently and selectively bringing the keys into position for use.

While the present invention is of general application, it is particularly designed for holding the two keys commonly provided in connection with automobiles, and the holder is of a size and shape to be conveniently carried in a pocket of the clothing, as well as for convenience in handling.

.With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fuliy described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it of course being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a key holder embodying the features of the present invention and showing a key projected into position for use.;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional. view on the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front end elevation;

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the connection between oneof the key retainer p-lates and the body of the holder;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective View of onev of the key retainer plates and showing modications.

The embodiment of the'present invention, as

shown in the accompanying drawing, includes a body member which is iiat and of oval or elliptical shape and may be formed of any material.

The body may be molded of plastic material and formed in half sections l and 2 rigidly cemented together or otherwise suitably connected. The

case or body members are provided respectively in their inner faces with complementary recesses or chambers 3 and l! which register when the' body members are brought `together so that the body is hollow or' provided with a single chamber extending longitudinally of the body and opening through both ends thereof as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawing. The body member I isprovided with a longitudinal slot 5, and the member 2 is provided with a similar slot 6, each of which communicates with the chamber or interior of the body and has its edges bevelled 51- or rounded inwardly.

Within the case or Vbody there are two key retainer plates designated 1 and 8 respectively, these plates being duplicated in size and shape and are intended to hold the keys within the'lO' body or case against accidental displacement while at the same time permitting of thel keys being projected into position for use and returned to the case or holder at will. One of these key retainer plates has been shown in Fig- 15'.

ure '7, and it will be explained that the size and shape of the plate is substantially that of the chambered portion or interior of the case or body. Each longitudinal edge has a longitudinal flange 3 and therear end is provided with a 20 flange I0. At the frontV end of the plate, the longitudinal edges thereof II' are inclined inwardly, and the front end of the plate is provided with a'pair of spaced fingers or projections I2 which lie at substantially right angles 25- to the plate and project at the flange side thereof before the plate is introduced into the holder.

In assembling each key retainer plate with the holder, the forward or tapered end of the plate is introduced inwardly through the open rear 30" end of the body and moved forwardly until the bevelled or inclined longitudinal edge portions Il engage the similarly disposed interior end walls I3 of the chamber or recess in the adjacent half section of the case or body, as well 35" shown in Figures l and 6 of the drawing. After the retainer plate has thus been introduced, the ears or projections l2 are bent down into the plane of the key retainer plate and into a notch I4 in the body and at the forward side of the 40V rear Wall or shoulder I5 of the notch. It will now be understood that the key retainer plate is held against endwise displacement in a forward direction by reason of the engagement of the parts I I and I3 of the plate and the body, while 45 rearward displacement of the plate is prevented by the engagement of the ears l2 with the shoulders or abutments I5 of the body.

The key retainer plates are spring-pressed outwardly inopposite directions, for instance, as F0. shown in Figures 2, 4 and5 by means of a. pair of springs I8 and ll, here shown as leaf springs, each spring being suitably secured at one end to one of the plates, as by a fastening I8, the intermediate portion of the spring being bowed 55 to frictionally engage the opposite plate, while the free end portion of the spring is suitably shaped to lie against and slide upon the key retainer plate to which the other end of the spring is secured. As well shown in Figures 4 and 5, the springs I6 and l'l are located at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the holder so as to insure an equally balanced spring pressure upon the plates.

The spaces between the respective key retainer plates and the adjacent sides of the case or holder are intended to receive keys, such as shown at I9 and 20. Preparatory to receiving the key, one of the key retainer plates is pushed away from the adjacent side of the case or body by the pressure of a thumb or finger on the plate and through either of the slots 5 or E in the case or body, until the flange end l0 of the retainer plate is moved away from the body far enough to permit of the shank end oi the key being thrust endwise into the rear open end of the body between the flange portion of the key retainer and the wall of the body. When the key has been pushed entirely into the body, it will occupy the position shown at 20 in Figure 2, and will be held in place not only by the flange IE! but by the fact that the spring I6 is bearing against the retainer plate and the latter in turn is bearing against the key 28, thereby frictionally holding the latter against the adjacent wall of the case or body. A key may be conveniently moved into the position indicated at I9 merely by pressure of a finger or thumb upon the key through one of the slotsI 5 or 6 so as to move the key out of engagement with one of the walls of the case or body, whereupon it may be thrust forwardly into the position indicated at I9 with its shank projecting outwardly beyond the forward end of the case or holder and in position for use. In this position of the key, the case or holder constitutes a handle for the manipulation of the key. If desired, each key retainer may be provided with a shoulder or abutment 2| located so as to engage the rear end of the key in its outwardly projected position so as to assist in holding the key in this position when it is being used. The key may be conveniently returned to its housed position by pressing with the thumb or nger through the slot in the body and against the retaining plate so as to release the abutment 2| from the key, whereupon the latter may be pushed back into the case or body where it Will be elfectually retained by the pressure of the spring-pressed key retainer plate. It will of course be understood that the slot in the body is somewhat narrower than the enlarged handle end of the key, as well illustrated in Figure 1, and that the length of each slot is less than the length of the key, as well illustrated in Figure 2, wherefore the key will be efectually retained within the case or body. Furthermore, the restriction of the forward end of the chamber or compartment within the body reduces the open forward end of the chamber toa size smaller than the Width of the handle of the key, and so the key cannot be moved out of the body at the forward end thereof. The iiange i0 at the rear end of the key retainer plate will engage the rear or handle end of the key and prevent rearward accidental displacement of the key, although the key may be removed rearwardly by pressure of a thumb or finger through either of the slots and against one of the keys so as to depress the retainer plate until there is space enough between its flange and the adjacent side of the case or holder to permit of the key being moved endwise and rearwardly out of the case or holder.

In order that a convenient selection of the keys may be made without requiring an inspection thereof, the case may be provided at one side with identifying means, such for instance, notches 22, or projections or ribs, as may be desired, on the case or body at opposite sides of the slot therein, so that a key may be readily selected either by looking at the case or holder or by touching or feeling the case or body so as to select the key at the notch or the unnotched side thereof.

In Figure 7 of the drawing, a modication of the key retaining plate is shown, and wherein a leaf spring 23 is shown as struck from the plate itself and intended to function in the manner described for the separate spring I6. When two plates provided with such springs are disposed back to back, or with their flanges extending outwardly in opposite directions, it will be understood that the springs 23 will lie at opposite sides of the longitudinal aXis of the holder.

Instead of merely upsetting a portion of the plate to form a shoulder 2l, as in Figures l., 2 and 5, the plate may be slit as at 24, and the material of the plate at one edge of the slit bent outwardly to form a shoulder for engagement with the rear end of the key to retain the latter in its outwardly projected position.

I claim:

l. A key holder of the class described, comprising a case having a key receiving compartment open at one end through which the key may be projected into position for use, and spring actuated means for holding the key against the wall of the case in its` projected and withdrawn positions, the case having a longitudinal slot of a shape and size and so disposed as to expose a key therethrough and permitting of the application of pressure through the slot against a key in the case thereby to retract the spring actuated means and permit of the key being moved endwise through the open end of the case into position for use by the sliding of a thumb or finger of the hand along the slot and in contact with the key.

2. A key holder of the class described, comprising a case having a key receiving compartment open at one end through which the key may be projected into position for use, and a spring pressed key retainer plate within the case and cooperating with one side of the latter to define a key receiving compartment, the case having a longitudinal slot of a shape and size and so disposed as to expose a key therethrough and permitting of the application of pressure through the slot against a key in the case thereby to retract the spring actuated means and permit of the key being moved endwise through the open end of the case into position for use by the sliding of a thumb or finger of the hand along the slot and in contact with the key.

3. A key holder of the class described, comprising a case having a key receiving compartment open at one end through which the key may be projected into position for use, and spring actuated means for holding the key against the wall of the case in its projected and withdrawn positions, the case having a longitudinal slot of a size and shape and soy disposed as to expose a key contained within the case and to permit the application of pressure through the slot and against the exposed portion of the key to displace the key retainer and permit of the key being projected into position for use.

ll. A key holder comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends of the case, a pair of spring pressed key retainer plates loosely mounted in the chamber and lying in substantial parallelism with the sides cf the case and dening therewith key receiving compartments, the case being provided in opposite sides with longitudinal slots exposing the respective key retainer plates and of a size and shape to permit the application of pressure through the slot and against the plates to press them back against the spring tension. i

5. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case provided with a chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of substantially parallel key retainer plates within the chamber, and spring means located between and bearing in opposite directions against the retainer plates to force them towards opposite sides of the case, the space between each retainer plate and the adjacent side of the case constituting a key receiving compartment, the case being provided in opposite sides with longitudinal slots of a size and shape and so disposed as to expose the key retainer plates and permit the application of pressure through the slots and to the plates for retracting them against the spring pressure.

6. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, the longitudinal side walls of the chamber being inclined inwardly and forwardly and terminating in notches, a pair of key retainer plates within the chamber and having their side edges inclined inwardly at their forward ends to engage the inclined walls of the chamber, the forward end of each key retainer plate having opposite lateral projections lying in the respective notches, and spring means located between and bearing in opposite directions against the key retainer plates, each key retainer plate and the adjacent side of the case defining a key receiving compartment.

7. A key holder of the class described, comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of key retainer plates within the chamber, spaces between the plates and the respective sides of the case constituting key receiving compartments, bowed leaf springs between the retainer plates and bearing in opposite directions against the plates, each spring having one end connected to a plate, its opposite end being in slidable engagement with the plate, and its intermediate portion being bowed into frictional -engagement with the other plate.

8. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of key retainer plates within the chamber, the spaces between the plates and the respective sides of the case constituting key receiving compartments, and each plate having a leaf spring struck therefrom and bearing frictionally against the other retainer plate.

9. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a longitudinal chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of substantially parallel key retainer plates within the chamber, the spaces between the plates and the respective sides of the case constituting key receiving compartments, spring means pressing each key retainer plate towards the adjacent side of the case, the opposite sides of the case being provided with longitudinal slots exposing the key retainer plates to permit the application of pressure against the exposed portion of the plates for retracting the same, and the outer face of one side of the case being provided with key identifying means.

l0. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a longitudinal chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of substantially parallel key retainer plates within the chamber, the spaces between the plates and the respective sides of the case constituting key receiving compartments, spring means pressing each key retainer plate towards the adjacent side of the case, the opposite sides of the case being provided with longitudinal slots exposing the key retainer plates to permit the application of pressure against'the exposed portion of the plates for retracting the same, and the outer face of one side of the case being provided wtih key identifying means capable of being felt by the user of the holder.

1l. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a longitudinal chamber opening through opposite ends thereof, a pair of substantially parallel key retainer plates within the chamber, the spaces between the plates and the respective sides of the case constituting key receiving compartments, spring means pressing each key retainer plate towards the adjacent side of the case, the opposite sides of the case being provided with longitudinal slots exposing the key retainer plates to permit the application of pressure against the exposed portion of the plates for retracting the same, and the outer face of one side of the case being provided with key identifying notches at opposite sides of the slot.

12. A key holder of the character described, comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends thereof and laterally` restricted at its forward end, a pair of key retainer plates within the chamber and having their forward ends restricted to fit the restricted portion of the case, each plate being provided with a marginal flange extending towards the adjacent side of the case, a key between each plate and the adjacent side of the case, spring means between and bearing against the plates to clamp the keys between the plates and the respective sides of the case, each key capable of being projected through the restricted end of the chamber, each side of the case being provided with a longitudinal slot to expose the key and the adjacent retainer plate to permit pressure thereon for retracting the plate, and one side of the case being notched at opposite sides of the slot therein.

13. A key holder comprising a case having a chamber opening through opposite ends of the case, a pair of spring pressed key retainer plates loosely mounted in the chamber, the case being provided in opposite sides with longitudinal slots disposed for exposing the respective key retainer plates and of a width tol permit of pressure being applied therethrough and against the latter to press said plates'back against the spring tension, each key retainer plate being provided with a key engaging shoulder disposed to engage and hold a key in its projected position for use.

RALPH G. CHENEY. 

